Would this bother you?

[mickeyboat]

Today is recycling day. I was a good doo-bee this morning and put my buckets out on the curb before work. When I came home from lunch, it was clear that someone had gone through my buckets and removed items from them. I am guessing they took the returnables to redeem for cash.

Now, normally I would not notice something like that, except I was talking to my 6 year old while I was putting them out about why all the papers were on the bottom. When I drove by, they were sticking out of the top. Also the lighter bucket was now filled to the rim, and the heavier bucket was almost empty.

I understand that once you put something out on the street, you no longer have a right to privacy with respect to it. But I will admit, it irritated me a little bit, not that I am planning on staking it out next week or using hidden video-surveillance or anything. Would it bother you?

 

[dcgrumpy]

It wouldn't bother me. At my old house there was a guy who would drive around and take evryones returnables in the neighborhood. He would fill the back of his SUV, didn't bother me. I'm too lazy to bring them back if someone else wants to, they can go for it.

 

[BuckNaked]

Wouldn't bother me at all.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Wouldn't bother me either. Although it probably would bother me if he was going through my regular trash can.

 

[Cantw8]

yeah, actually I think that would bother me. I know it sounds trivial but it's kind of like a voilation of your personal space

 

[Pooh's Pixie]

There is someone who drives around my neighborhood and picks though recycling. I don't care. If I don't bring back the empties, some one else might as well. It's funny though, he doesn't take any beer bottles from microbreweries, he must not want to shop around his returns!

 

[mrsv98]

as long as they didn't make it so the papers could fly all over the neighborhood I think I would be fine with it.

Around here, there is a "junk truck". They drive around and pick through trash to find any metal. You can almost garauntee that something will be picked up if you put it out the evening before. I like that actually, someone is showing initiative, making a buck and keeping the items out of the landfills. More power to them!

 

[GJM]

As long as they don't make a mess on the street I don't care.

 

[mickeyboat]

yeah, actually I think that would bother me. I know it sounds trivial but it's kind of like a voilation of your personal space

This is kind of what I am thinking. It's no one's business how much wine I drink woohoo: ) or what kind of Rice a Roni I cook, or how much junk mail I get or what magazines I receive. If I wanted someone to benefit from my returnables, I might have them come get them. Maybe I want the state to benefit from me not returning my cans!

Denae

 

[VanniGirl]

It only bothers me when they take out the 'non-returnables' and don't put them back. Other than that, they can have them.

 

[MushyMushy]

Doesn't bother me at all, which is odd because I'm normally pretty territorial. I wouldn't like someone going through my bags -- I would more worry about fraud with that -- but if they go through any other things we put out (broken furniture, TVs, computer monitors or whatnot), then I'm fine with it.

 

[beavismom]

It would bother me for another reason. Most recycling programs lose money or break even. If someone comes through and takes all the "valuable" items then the program is stuck with a lot of money losing items and could be shut down or end up costing you more money in the end.

 

[korbbec]

No it would not bother me one bit.

 

[Hannathy]

wouldn't bother me at all, as long as they don't make a mess.

 

[lulugirl]

It wouldn't bother me.

 

[brerrabbit]

We have people that drive the neighborhood on every trash day. Some take the recyclables for money while others look for treasure in other people trash. A good friend in Dalls and his buddies look forward to every trash day. They are professional guys with good jobs and no need to do it but they actually cruise the neighborhood looking for stuff. They will actually call each others cell phones to alert the group of good finds. They refer to their found treasures as "swag" They love trash days as much as their wives hate it.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Doesn't bother me a bit, as long as I've put the bin on the curb and they don't make a mess. Around here we have a few low-income and homeless people who regularly go through the recycling bins to collect returnables. It's an extra source of income for them, and I figure it's not a big deal to let them take the stuff from our recycling. I doubt they care how many cans of soda we drank or what kind of wine we've had for dinner this week. They're just trying to make a few bucks.

 

[Beckysc]

It would bother me. In our town, they give out special recycle bags to put your stuff in....at the newspapers in one bag, clear glass in another, soda can, ect. The city then has a truck that comes and picks it all up and the procedes help our town.

One morning I put my bags out and when I went out later, my cans were missing. Someone had driven through my whole neighborhood and took all the alluminum cans.

 

[Uuaww]

i live on frat row in a college town and we have come accustomed to just throwing our cans and bottle on the lawn on friday and saturday nights. people would go through all our trash to fine 1 bottle so we just make it easier and put them on the lawn. Its pretty sweet cause they'll usually throw away any excess trash on our lawn as a thank you for the cans. We have in excess of 500 bottles/cans on our lawn after a good party so I guess that is probably a good haul, plus they come around at like 8 am...

 

[Cindy B]

no problem at all with it.. it saves me a trip and if they want to take them, it sure is fair to me